21 Guns — Green Day1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

21 Guns Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Green Day

Green Day · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1950s Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Divided by 13 FTR 37
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 2008-2009 for '21st Century Breakdown'. Guitar confirmed from music video and Equipboard; amp confirmed from Equipboard and interviews for the album. No explicit pedalboard evidence for the solo section; signal chain likely guitar → amp with effects added as needed in studio.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6
Gain
6.5
Reverb
3.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay

Guitar → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Divided by 13 FTR 37 (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • singing sustain
  • warm and rounded
  • pronounced midrange
  • smooth melodic lead
  • clear note separation
  • moderate crunch
  • slightly compressed
  • articulate and expressive
  • not overly bright
  • dynamic response

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for this song's solo; values estimated based on typical Divided by 13 FTR 37 settings for melodic rock solos and genre/era conventions.
  • ⚠️No explicit pedalboard or effect model confirmed for the solo section; delay and reverb included due to clear audibility in the recording.
  • ⚠️Guitar and amp confirmed for album era and music video, but not 100% confirmed for solo section only.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from solo tone characteristics (warm, singing, rounded) and typical Les Paul usage for leads.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Billie Joe Armstrong typically uses a crunchy, mid-forward British-voiced tone (Marshall-style amps) with moderate gain for solos, balanced bass and treble for clarity, and subtle reverb for space. The solo in '21 Guns' is smooth, sustaining, and present without being overly saturated or scooped.

Sources